One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the gift of family, and family life is rooted in the unconditional love of God. Nowhere is this witnessed any greater than in the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. But although we call them “The Holy Family,” that does not mean they never had any problems to overcome.

Think about it: Mary became pregnant before she was married; her and Joseph came close to divorce; they left their 12-year-old son by himself for three days; and when their son grew up people knew him as a glutton and a drunkard (Luke 7:34). But that is precisely what it means to be holy – to struggle with your shortcomings and not lose sight of God who wants to be with you.

  And God also wants to be a part of your family. No matter how dysfunctional you may think your family is, God still wants to find a home with you. Whenever family and extended family gather together, it is a good time to reflect on this very important lesson.  God is truly a gift given to all of us - all we need to do is accept him.

May the patterns of love and mutual care in the house of Nazareth, elevate the love and peace in your own home. Let it flow unconditionally, so you are able to go out into the world and share God’s love.

After all, our greatest gift is God’s love – so let’s share it!